Shaft-loop



MIHILU lli (No Model.)

H. F. BOOK.

SHAFT LOOP.

N. PETERS, Phommhugnphur, wnmingwn, D. l;

inoved.

PATENT Orifice..

HENRY F. BooK, on LANsINe, iLLINois.

SHAFT-LOOP.

l'. llICFCATION farming Application filed Januar)v 23, 1885.

To @ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, HENRY F. Boei", of Lansing, iii-the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaft-Loops, oi' which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side view of said loop. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal vertical sectional view of the saine. Fig. 3 is a detail view, partlyin section, ofthe head or swivel. Fig. :l is a plan view of the saine with the buckle re- Fig. 5 is a front view representing the strap partially broken away to show the front of said swivel. Fig. 6 isa plan View in detail of the interior of the lock-plate removed frein its position. Fig. 7 shows a front view of a modification of said device, and Fig. 8 is a side view thereof, partly in section.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in the different gures.

rlhe object of iny invention is lo so construct a harness shaft-loop that the sanie may be strong and durable, and into which the shafts niay be dropped with ease and facility, instead of requiring to have their ends inserted therein in the usual manner.

A further object is to so lock said loop that the shaft inay be securely retained therein, while the loop may be unlocked at will and the shaft released without the annoyance and inconvenience which are attendant. upon the use of straps and buckles, all of which will be hereinafter more fully described, and definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, A represents a loop or hook, preferably cast in malleable iron, and having a covering, a, Fig. 2, of leather or rubber, stitched or otherwise fastened thereover. If the latter is used, it may consist of a simple rubber tube drawn over said hook. The upper end of said hook A is enlarged, and is provided with an upwardly-projecting pintle or neck, B, the top of which, b, Figs. 2, 3, and 4, is preferably square or of any irregular shape, so that a washer, bf, which is riveted thereon, niay turn therewith. Before fastening said washer b to the neck B, I place a washer, b2, thereover,said washer being formed from thin sheet metal and provided with serrated points b, which overlap the shoulder of part of Letters Patent Ilo. 325,045, dated August 25, 1885.

(X0 model.)

said hook A, and serve to retain the top of the covering c lirnily and securelyin position. A second washer, bt, is then placed over said neck B. said washerV having an upturned ange, b5, Fig. 3, which is fitted to said pin. A spiral spring, C, is then placed over said washer b", after which a loose sleeve, D, having a suitable recess for the reception of the spring @,and an annula r iiange,d, which serves as a shoulder or bearing for said spring, is adj usted upon said neck B, when aswivel-head, E, provi ded with an inwardly and downwardly turned flange, e, countersunk within the sleeve D, is likewise adjusted upon said neck, and the whole secured in place by the washer b', to which the part b of the neck B is riveted, asstated. rlheswivel-headEis providedwith a tooth or projection, e', Fig. 5, which fits into a corresponding notch, d, in the sleeve D, thus causing said head and sleeve to turn in unison. The object ofthe spring C is to prevent said parts from rattling when in use. Upon the swivel-head E are formed perforated lugs e c, to which a buckle, F, is attached by means of a rivet, f, Figs. 1 and 2, to which the buckletonguejislikewise attached. Acrossbar, f2, Fig. 2, serves to hold the strap GY in place and to prevent unnecessary wear thereon.

To the sleeve D is rigidly attached a projecting plate or guard, H, having a loop, 11 thereon, for the protection of the end of the strap. A second plate, H, is riveted beneath the part H, each ol' said plates being provided with curved lips It h2, adapted to lit over a rounded knob, ai, upon the end of the hook A. Vithin the plate H is a recess, in which is inserted a retractile spring-catch, J, Figs. 2 an d 6pressed downwardly by a spiral spring, j, and the end of which is adapted to engage in a socket, a, Fig. 2. Upon the end of a laterallyiprojecting arm is a knob, y", Figs. l and 6, by which said catch is manipulated. ln operating said shaft-loop theknobj is pushed back, thus releasing the catch, when the part H is moved or twisted laterally upon the swivel-joint described until it is sufficiently out of the way to permit the shaft to drop into the hook or loop A, when it is again turned back into its nornial position, where itis locked by said catch, and thus serves as a guard to prevent the shaft from being thrown out.

IOC)

As a modification of said construction I dispense with said spring-catch and loosely secure the part H by means of au eye over the neck B and Within the sleeve D, as clearly shown in Fig. S, the'spring C bearing directly against the same. The sleeve D is partially cut away, as shown in Fig. 7 to permit a lateral movement of the guard H. A notch, d, into which said guard is pressed by the spring C, serves to lock said part in its normal position, while a projecting stud, h4, passing into a perforation in the cud of the hook A, securely connects the two. By pressing against the front of the guard H the stud h is removed from engagement with the end of the hook A, while the guard H is likewise disengaged from the notch d2, when it is free to turn laterally in either direction upon said jointin the same manner as in the construction shown in Fig. 1.

To prevent the leather covering from being worn by contact with said part H, I prefer to place a metallic tip, a, Fig. 7, thereover,while to prevent the metal of the guard H from wearing the thill I place a leather or rubber pad, h5, beneath the same, said pad being secured by means of projecting metal points hG It, Fig. 2, which serve as rivets.

A lug and ring or loop, a* a5, are attached in any well-known manner to the bottom of the loop A, to which the belly-band may be secured.

The loop h may be made loose, so as to have a slight longitudinal movement upon the guard H, said movement being limited by shoulders ILT hi, Fig. 8, or any other well-known means. The loop can then accommodate itself to the movement of the strap G, and thus prevent wear upon the latter.

It will be observed that the buckle F is of a triangular shape, the point ot' suspension ot' the shaft-loop being such that the surface of the buckle that bears upon the strap G will assume the line, or substantially so, in which said strapv is suspended, thus furnishing a large bearing-surface for said strap and preventing it from being rapidly worn.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. A shaft-loop for harness, consisting of a rigid hook suspended by a swivel-joint from the saddle-strap buckle, and provided with a laterally-swinging guard,and means, substantially as described, for locking the same.

2. A harness shaft-loop consisting of a rigid hook suspended by a swiveljoint from the saddle-strap buckle, and provided with a laterally swinging guard having a retraetile spring-catch, whereby the same may be locked in position for securing the vehicle-shatt therein, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of the rigid hook A, conneeted by means of a swivel-joint with the saddle-strap buckle, and a guard, H, constructed to swing laterally upon the neck of said swiveled hook, and means, substantially as described, forlocking said guard to the end of said hook, substantially in the manner and for the purposes specified.

4. The combination of the rigid hook A, provided with a laterally-swinging guard, H, with the triangular-shaped buckle F, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

HENRY F. BOOK.

Vit-nesses.:

D. H. FLETCHER, CLARENCE B. STORY. 

